sofatester - it's box fresh, not ridden it in anger yet only just finished building her up. need to re-bleed brakes after chopping hoses and set fork and shock up. It's taken me nearly 5 years to get the funds together to build this so it been a bit of a labour of love.

thanks for the kind comments chaps, been a while since a built a bike from scratch. enjoyed every second. Am itching to take it up the Peaks for a proper thrash. It'll have to wait until weekend tho sadly..

steve_b77 - you spotted the delibrate mistake! think it's a tyre fault to be honest, if you compare both pic's I've posted you'll see on the other one they line-up.. perhaps this is why they're cheap from Merlin??

metalheart - read a few of your posts on the VF2 over the past months, is it the fact the rear end is a bit over active climbing you don't like? does a good dollop of pro-pedal on the RP23 cure it?? Be interested to see how the 2010 RP23's handle, now they have the boost valve fitted.. any thought's would be appreciated on set-up, As I'm moving from my SS to this. Last Full Suss I had was a SC Heckler over 7 years ago!!

metalheart - read a few of your posts on the VF2 over the past months, is it the fact the rear end is a bit over active climbing you don't like? does a good dollop of pro-pedal on the RP23 cure it?? Be interested to see how the 2010 RP23's handle, now they have the boost valve fitted.. any thought's would be appreciated on set-up, As I'm moving from my SS to this. Last Full Suss I had was a SC Heckler over 7 years ago!!

Braylee8, the problem I've found is that the rebound goes from way fast to way slow over one click which makes the back end buck a bit (mostly at 'moderate' speed) as I keep it on the faster mode. I don't notice it as much at higher speeds for some reason.

I don't really use the pro-pedal as with it on the position seems 'high'. With it off it sits down into a better position (for me anyways).

With regards set up set the sag, set the rebound and ride it and get used to it. You may not have the same issues.

i've just built up a white one with 36 Floats. Only done a couple of rides so still at the setting up stage but so far so good. It works well enough with the 36's that I wonder if 32's won't be too short. I'll be trying a set of 32 QR 15 vans shortly to see.

Not overly happy with the RP23 though. It's a very active suspension design and needs quite a bit of pro-pedal for eficient climbing. Not a problem as thats what these type of shocks are for. However, despite the active rear it doesn't translate to the smooth or controlled ride on the way back down that I was expecting.

On saying that I've been using a CCDB for a quite a while so I'mmaybe just spoiled! I plan on trying a Roco TSTR and then the CCDB as well to see what the rames really capable of.

Other than that, it's stiff and handles well. BB looks to be a bit high(not helped by the 36's) but doesn't feel high on the trail. It turns as well as some low BB bikes I've ridden without twatting pedals everywhere.

Current weight is just under 30lb and thats with the 36's, 2.4 UST big bettys and easton flatboy pedals. 27>28lb is well doable

I think a lot of folk seem to be trying to make the VF2 something it isn't. It's supposedly aimed at XC / Trail rather than AM. I've built mine up using "sensible" 140 Float's RLC FIT, Hope Tech X2's, Hope Hoops DT 4.2 / Pro 2's and 2.25 Cinders along with a FSA carbon bar and Thomson stuff elsewhere. Still thinking it's closer to the 27-28 lb mark. Maybe those folk thinking of putting 160mm forks on and other heavyweight stuff should have considered an XCL???

As for the active back end on climbs, I think I'll just suck it and see. I rode a heckler for years fitted with one of the earlier fox float shocks and that bobbed like good everywhere and I still loved it to bits. I'm loving the VF2 so far still, time will tell.

If I enjoy riding it then surely that's the box ticked??

juan - useless big ring??? WTF??? I've always run a triple (other than my SS) and have no plans to drop it just yet!! don't plan hucking off stuff just riding ace trails in and around the peaks, n.wales and stuff on my doorstep! that's all I want.

braylee8- what you describe the Vf2 of being is just that, a trail bike. However, Chumba do like to over build their frames, and as a result the VF2 can be built a bit heavier as an AM bike with 160mm forks, double bash etc.

Don't worry about the bob, i certainly don't, and i tend to use the Propedal in the 1st setting and it is fine.